Why Moringa must be part of your diet

The humble drumstick or moringa that is grown so commonly in India has a rather uncommon trait that is being rediscovered slowly but surely. Well this is a super food and a home grown one that has so many health benefits that it packs a solid punch.

The Tree of Life

As a power packed food, moringa leaves provide nutrients like proteins, vitamins and minerals. The best part is that in India, this is easily available and also economical. With increased focus on sourcing food locally, moringa is arguably the answer to a powerful health option that can easily be part of your daily diet. Interestingly the pods and the leave are both edible and incidentally this food is seeing renewed interest in India and the West too. “This superfood received a fillip when in 2008 the US National Institute of Health named it “the plant of the year” acknowledging that this plant had the potential to not only reverse multiple environmental issues but also provide for many unmet human nutritional needs. Its products are proven to have antibiotic, antispasdomic, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic properties,” says Fiona Arakal, Executive Director, Ishka Farms.

Miracle Leaves

Moringa is said to have the ability to help lower blood sugar levels as it has plant compounds like isothiocyanates. Likewise it has Quercetin a powerful antioxidant that helps to lower blood pressure. It also has anti-inflammatory effects again due to isothiocyanate compounds. Moringa leaves contain protein, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Iron, Riboflavin, Vitamin A (from beta-carotene) and Magnesium. In fact the growing interest in moringa has seen the West adapt to it in the form of dried leaves and powders as well! The pods of the tree have a high content of vitamin C. The plant is also said to have the ability to lower cholesterol levels in the blood, reducing the related risk of heart disease. One of the best benefits is its ability to boost your immunity and being high in protein it is great for vegans and vegetarians as they have limited protein sources in their food. As it has a good percentage of fibre it not just aids in digestion but also helps in weight control as the fibre keeps you full for a longer time. So if you are looking for a super food, do not look at pricey international ones. Rather look in your back yard and you will find moringa – the answer to the nutritional supplement you wanted!

Here are a few recipes from Ishka Farms.

Moringa Leaf Chutney Rice (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

100g *Dry Moringa Leaf

50ml Coconut oil

10g Roasted channa dal

10g Ginger

20g Shallots

10g Curry Leaf

5g Dry red chilly

20g Grated coconut

100g Basmati rice

2g Mustard seeds

* if using moringa powder, use the same quantity but add it as a paste after cooking the shallot, ginger, coconut , curry leaf paste well. It just needs to be heated through.

Soak the gelatin in two tablespoons of room temperature water. Blend the cheese and icing sugar together. Add the soaked gelatin and Moringa Leaf / Moringa paste. Fold in the whipped cream and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Place the sponge at the base of a 6 cm round tin where the sides can be opened to slide the set cheesecake out or one in which the base is detachable. Gently pour the mixture on top of the sponge and allow it to refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve cold.

Moringa Leaf ‘N Prawn Curry (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

100 gms dry Moringa Leaf

10 peeled and deveined Prawns

2 gms mustard seed

50ml Coconut oil

100 gms Shallots

10 gms Red chilly

50 gms Ginger

50 gms Curry Leaf

20 gms Green chillies

2 gms Turmeric powder

5 gms Chilly powder

2 gms Pepper powder

20 ml Coconut paste

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat coconut oil in a shallow pan. Crack mustard seeds, sauté ginger and garlic. Add sliced shallots, green chilli and curry Leaf. Sauté till golden brown and add red chilli, turmeric and pepper powder, heat through. Add a splash of water and salt. When this boils, add the dry Moringa Leaf and prawns to it. If using Moringa powder, add it to the coconut paste and combine it in the pan when the prawns are almost cooked through. Serve hot with rice, appam or idiyappam.

This story appeared in Deccan Herald’s Living supplement dated 28th Oct, 2017 here.